Cold Beds and Regrets
by DarylDixon'sgirl1985
Summary: The bed was cold but it hadn't always been that way. Watch as the Malfoy's marriage changes through the years.


**Hello everyone. I'm back again with a insightful look at the Malfoy marriage. This is in answer to The First Line Competition and Challenge by The Crownless Queen on Harry Potter Fanfiction Challenges. Minor mentions of people getting hit and cheating on their wife. Memories will be in italics. I hope event enjoys.**

The bed was cold. Especially on Lucius' side. Narcissa was used to it being this way by now. Things hadn't always been like this during her marriage. But she could pinpoint when her marriage made the gradual plummet to hell. Because it was the happiest and sadest day of her life.

 _"Lucius," she called to her husband as he began to dress for his day of work, "I have something very important to tell you. You'll be very happy to hear this."_

 _Lucius poked his head through the doorway trying to pull his sweater on while listening to w hat his wife had to say with a "Yes, dear"._

 _Narcissa sighed. This was how things always went since he began working for the Ministry. He'd either be half listening or not listening at all. "It can wait," she wiped a tear from her eye._

 _Lucius sighed as walked over to the bed. "No," he touched her cheek. "I'm listening now. What is it, dear?"_

 _"We're pregnant," she smiled watching his face._

 _Lucius went from smiling happily to ghastly pale his eyes almost bugging out. Wasn't he happy about their baby. How could he not be?_

 _"That's good, sweetheart," he bent to kiss her head. "I'll be home late tonight."_

And true to his word Lucius had been late that night. He had gotten home somewhere around midnight. She had spent the hours between going to bed and his coming home crying her eyes out. Going over it again in her head she should have known. But after that night it hadn't happened again until after Draco was born.

Lucius, who she loved with all her heart, was beginning to grow distant from her and their beautiful son. Their Draco. She could remember Draco's tenth birthday like it was yesterday.

 _"I'll be home late," Lucius snapped shortly at her._

 _Narcissa sighed and shook her head. He had forgotten yet another promise to their son. "You promised Draco that you'd be home in time to watch him blow out his birthday candles," she replied tiredly._

 _"And he will understand when I'm able to buy him that new quiddich broom he was eyeing in the store the other day."_

 _"Things aren't important to a child Lucius..."_

 _"Don't start Narcissa," he shouted about to raise his hand to his wife._

 _He stopped before he actually hit her. Narcissa followed Lucius' gaze to find a pair frightened eyes peeping into the room. She had promised herself that her child would never fear his parents. She could read the same thoughts in Lucius' eyes._

 _"I'll go after him," Lucius sighed apologetically as he placed his hands over his eyes._

 _"No," she snapped. "You made perfectly obvious that you have better things to do than attend to your son today. I will go after him."_

 _Without waiting for an answer Narcissa stormed away from her stammering husband. She really didn't care what he was saying. He'd almost broken their one of their first promises to each other in their marriage. Upon reaching Draco's door she could hear crying coming from within. She had never wanted this for her child. As she listened to her crying son she slid down the door try to muffle the sound of her own crying._

Narcissa remembered waiting up for Lucius even though he'd told her not to. She had waited until her own tears had stopped and gone in to comfort Draco. The fight she had had with Lucius was very loud and heated. She couldn't remember what was done or said except for kicking Lucius out of their room.

Draco's second year at Hogwarts had started and she could tell that the group of people her husband had them associating with were up to something. It had nagged at her since their family trip to Diagon Alley.

 _Yet another rumor of an attack on Muggleborn at Hogwarts. Draco had written all about it in his latest letter from school. She got up and handed the letter to Lucius who sitting across from her at their breakfast table on the balcony._

 _"This letter is addressed to you, dear," he said not looking up from his papper._

 _"Did you have something to do with this?" Narcissa asked raising an eyebrow at her husband._

 _"Whatever are you talking about, Cissa?"_

 _In answer she held out Draco's letter yet again._

 _Lucius sighed reached over and read the letter. When he reached the part about the Granger girl's attack she saw the small smile he was trying to hide. That was all the answer she needed._

 _"Dobby," she called, "make the guest bed up for Mr. Malfoy. He'll be staying there tonight." With that said she stormed from the balcony and into their room locking the door behind her._

 _She heard him pounding on the door and calling through the door. Why didn't he get why she was so upset? Their son went to that school._

She doesn't remember how he sweet talked his back into her grace but he did. Lucius was always good at sweet talking her into things. And if that didn't work he'd try to buy her favor.

But neither of those things had worked after she found out he had slipped that diary into the Weasley girl's books. Not that she cared for the Weasley's or anything. But their Draco could have been harmed because of his father's bigotry. She had gone to live with her mother after that.

 _After spending most of the summer between Draco's second and third year at her parents house her mother tried talking her into going back to Lucius._

 _Narcissa had gone down to breakfast to find only her mother and sister Bellatrix waiting for her at the table. She looked around the room for her son and father._

 _"Where is everyone?" she asked as she placed a pastry on a plate._

 _"Sweetheart, we need to talk," her mother had said. "About Lucius."_

 _Narcissa looked between the two women across from her. Neither face looked outraged at what her husband had done. Neither face seemed to care that Draco could have been hurt._

 _"What about Lucius?" She didn't care that she was being cold hearted right now. So was he._

 _"Rudolphus and Rabbastan say that Lucius is but a shadow of himself without you," Bellatrix supplied looking at her mother as if to ask what she should say._

 _"He misses you and Draco terribly," her mother told her taking her hand. "Daddy told me so."_

 _"And?"_

 _"Narcissa you will go home and be the dutiful wife I trained you to be," hissed her mother. "Do you understand me young lady?"_

 _Narcissa nodded miserably. Why couldn't they understand?_

Between Draco's third through fifth year the seperation between Narcissa and Lucius grew and grew. There were weeks at a time when he didn't come home at all.

 _"Who is she?" Narcissa snapped on their anniversary. The one night he actually never forgot. Which made things worse if he was cheating on her._

 _"No one," replied Lucius._

 _"Lucius I know your cheating on me," she folded her arms over her chest. "Please don't lie to me. At least let me know her name."_

 _"I wish it was that simple," he whispered anguish evident in his voice. "If it was that simple I wouldn't have to tell you this next part."_

 _Narcissa studied Lucius' pale drawn face. When had he become so drawn? Why hadn't she let herself see how bad he had it? "What is it?" she answered in barely a whisper._

 _"He's back," was the only reply she got. "He wants me to get something for him. I may be gone for quite some time."_

 _"Why you?"_

 _"Because I'm one of his faithful ones. You must be brave. Take care of yourself and Draco. Don't let him make my mistakes. Please."_

Narcissa had never heard his voice that broken before. The sound of defeat was heavy in his voice. She didn't know whether it was the honesty or the emotion in his voice but for the first time in weeks, months even, they shared a bed.

It wasn't a shock to her that at the end of Draco's fifth year Lucius was sent to Azkaban for breaking into the Ministry of Magic. Apparently he was tasked to help steal a prophecy for the Dark Lord and had gotten caught. And it didn't suprise her when Draco was forced into service for the Dark Lord either. She had failed in the one task he'd asked her before he went away.

And before Draco's seventh year out of no where he was home. Standing on their front stoop looking like a beaten dog with it's tail between it's leg. Behind was a large group of Death Eaters and the one they worshipped as lord.

No one had been able to sleep until the Dark Lord said so. Nothing was done without his say so. And it was obvious to her that Lucius was being punished for his failure to retrieve the prophecy. They were treated lower than servants in their own home.

She gave a shuddered as she thought of how all of it lead to this moment. She sat at her husband Lucius' trial, having been given a reprieve herself for helping fake Harry's death in the forrest, waiting for a verdict.

"Please stand for the Minister of Magic Kingsley Shaklebolt," said a voice from above them.

Moving mechanically Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy both stood hand in hand watching as the new Minister took his seat. Hoping for a good outcome but knowing it wouldn't come.

"Lucius Malfoy," came the calm voice of the Minister, "you are sentenced to the Dementor's kiss for your crimes against the Wizarding World."

That night Narcissa went to her bed pressing her face against Lucius' side. It still smelt like him. His favorite sent as she recalled. But the bed was cold to her now and it always would be.

 **There we go. I hope you all enjoyed.**


End file.
